Oshiomhole Insists On Direct Primary

By Francis Ogbuagu

The National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Adams Oshiomhole, says the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) has approved direct primaries for the Edo governorship poll.

Oshiomhole said this on Monday at a news conference shortly after meeting with APC Governors Forum led by Gov. Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi, at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.

He added that the party’s NWC was yet to discuss and decide on the mode of primaries for Ondo Governorship election slated for July 20.

“We have since published our time table because under the law, we are required to give Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at least 21 days notice to monitor our primaries.

“And to state the mode of our primaries and of course NWC had approved direct primaries for Edo.

“That of Ondo has not been discussed because that will come much later, because Edo will come about three weeks before Ondo,” the party chairman said.

He said that the party had begun the sale of expression of interest and nomination forms, adding that other processes had also been going fine.

“We have commenced the sale of forms, I think as of last Friday to my knowledge three people had picked the forms.

“I think by today more people have picked the forms. So, we are selling forms to all those who wish to buy based on the guidelines.

“And of course as the Chairman of the Progressives Governors rightly said, we have ensured in our letter to INEC and even this morning we had a virtual meeting with INEC leadership.

“We will conduct primaries taking into account the protocols on Covid-19 by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) and Nigeria Commission for Disease Control (NCDC). I think everything has been going fine,” he said.

According to him, governors are assets to our party and once a candidate emerged, we all work and ensure that we do our best to persuade the people in the respective states to favour us with their votes.

“I am sure that by the special grace of God, the Ondo Governor is here, he did well and electorate are more sophisticated now, so we have no fear about that.

“Obaseki is not here but issues of primaries are well spelt out in our constitution and we are following it as strictly as possible. So nothing to worry about at all,” Oshiomhole said.

Earlier, Bagudu said the purpose of the meeting was to discuss issues between the Governor’s Forum and party leadership that would lead to the progress of the APC.
Meanwhile, four other aspirants aligned with the Oshiomhole tendency in the party have taken the expression of interest form.

The other four who took the form alongside Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu are Dr. Puis Odubu, former Deputy Governor of Edo State; Hon Osaro Obaze, former Chairman of Oredo Local Government Area; Hon Matthew Idioriyekmuen, former majority leader of the Edo State House of Assembly and Engr Chris Ogiemwonyi.

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